NEWS
--Morrison County Administrator Matt LeBlanc stated that the county has included 11 road projects, which cover 68.8 miles of roadway, in its 2023 Transportation Improvement Program. At the recent board meeting, Morrison County Engineer Tony Hennen reviewed the tentative plans with the Board of Commissioners, which voted unanimously to approve the program. The largest of those is a 43.8-mile multi-component edge line project, which is scheduled to happen in various locations throughout the county. As part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), the striping project received federal funding. Another major venture the county plans to complete in 2023 is a reclamation project on County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 1 from Randall to CSAH 5 (also known as Bear Road) on the south side of Lake Alexander. The project covers 7.8 miles and includes new pavement and edging. On CSAH 6, near Sobieski, a bridge over the Swan River is scheduled for replacement, again, with the help of federal funding. The largest state aid project the county will undertake this year will be on CSAH 47, north of Pierz, from Highway 25 to Highway 27. At 9.3 miles, proposed the bituminous overlay is the longest individual stretch of roadway included in the program. The aforementioned joint effort with the city of Royalton is included among the county projects. That is on County Road 234, and Hennen said it has been put off for “numerous years,” but they were able to get it on the docket for 2023. The city of Royalton will be completing utility improvements to the water and sewer lines, while Morrison County will reconstruct the road and curb, along with doing some ADA improvements on sidewalks for pedestrian access near the high school. Other roads slated for work this year are County Road 237, near Buckman, two stretches of Highway 253, west of Pierz, County Road 254, west of Genola, and County Road 255, between Little Falls and Pierz.
--The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is asking business owners to be on the lookout for fake money. The Sheriff's Office says in the last week, a local bar received $500 in fake $100 bills. The bar owners say the fake money was used while buying pull tabs. Authorities say if you’re not sure how to tell, there are several resources online which will help you find a fake bill. Anyone who has received fake $100 bills in the past couple of months is asked to call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office at 320-762-8151. Since last November reports from the Morrison County Sheriff's Office, Little Falls, Pierz and Motley Police along with departments in St. Cloud and Sartell and sheriff's offices in Stearns, Douglas, Benton and Mille Lacs have reported at least in one occasion or more of counterfeit bills being distributed from banks or stores. They remind store owners to check larger bills as usually (not always as some cases of $1 or $5 were reported) but $20 to $100 have been norm for fake bills. If you notice something suspicious call law enforcement to check it out.
--An entertainment note that the reality series Survivor kicks off Season 44 on March 1st. This year the cast was announced and there are 3 people competing who are from Minnesota, originally. The three contestants from Minnesota are Frannie Marin, 23 and originally from St. Paul but currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts and works as a Research Coordinator. Sarah Wade is 27 and is originally from Rochester but currently lives in Chicago and works as a Management Consultant. Carolyn Wiger is 35 and is originally from North St. Paul and still lives in Minnesota in Hugo as a Drug Counselor. This season will take place in Fiji but was actually filmed last autumn.
--A snow plow driver was sent to the hospital after a collision Wednesday morning. Officials with the Minnesota State Patrol say a snow plow driven by 51-year-old James Streit of St. Augusta was traveling South on Highway 15 near 33rd street in Waite Park when he was struck by a pickup driven by 38-year-old Nicholas Hanson of Brainerd. The pickup was also driving South. Streit was taken to St. Cloud Hospital by ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries.
--A snowmobile crash resulted in the death of the driver Wednesday afternoon. The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office was sent to Lake Andrew Township west of Spicer on reports of a snowmobile crash. Officers found the 67-year-old driver lying on the ground next to a snowmobile. Life-saving efforts were taken, but the driver died at the scene. The crash remains under investigation, more details to come.
--A man accused of assaulting two men with a knife in downtown St. Cloud last June has pleaded guilty. Forty-year-old Matthew Larson pleaded guilty to a felony charge of 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. St. Cloud Police were called to the 100 block of 9th Avenue North after a man had entered a business at around 8:20 in the evening of June 16th, bleeding profusely from his hand, and asking for towels. The man reported he had an altercation with another man near Germain Towers. Video surveillance showed the two men exchanging words before the first man punches Larson twice. The video shows Larson raising his hand to block the second punch allegedly holding a knife. The first man immediately recoils and grabs his hand after the punch and Larson runs off. Police received a report of another assault about 90 minutes later. A man said he was talking on his phone while walking home near US Bank in downtown St. Cloud shortly after 10:00pm when Larson walked past him and asked who he was talking to. The victim didn't answer and kept walking. Shortly afterward, the victim said Larson walked passed him again and struck his hand with a knife causing a deep laceration. Police tracked Larson for more than an hour before finding him. He was arrested. Larson will be sentenced on March 14th.
GROUND HOG DAY NEWS
--All eyes will be on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania where Phil the Ground Hog will step out today around 6:30am Central/7:30am Eastern Time at sunrise to see if he see his shadow. If he sees his shadow then 6 more weeks of winter, if no shadow is seen that spring is on its way early. This year marks the 137th Year of the Ground Hog Day event in Pennsylvania and around the USA.
DEATH NOTICES
--Kenneth Wolters, age 80 of Royalton.
WEATHER
WIND CHILL ADVISORY 8AM TODAY TO NOON FRIDAY.
TODAY= temps rise, snow flurries before noon, temps fall, windy.
TONIGHT= temps fall to -21, wind chills near -36.
FRIDAY= partly sunny and cold, high 3, temps rise into Saturday.
SATURDAY/SUNDAY= cloudy and breezy, high near 30, low in teens.
SPORTS
NFL= one year after he announced his retirement from the NFL then returned to play with Tampa Bay. Tom Brady announced Wednesday he has announced his retirement again from the NFL.
HS BBB= Little Falls at St. Cloud Apollo tonight 7:15pm on Q92.
HS GBB= Milaca at Pierz tonight 7:15pm on 94ROCKS.